Comparative study on continuous steel-concrete composite beams with normal and steel fiber reinforced concrete slab

This paper describes the performance of composite steel and concrete beams subjected to negative bending moment. Static loading tests were performed on four overturned specimens. Two of the specimens are using SFRC as the concrete slab while the other two are using plain concrete as the slab. Two different types of shear connectors, including shear studs and PBLs, are used in the test specimens. Drying shrinkage of the concrete, load versus mid-span deflection, load carrying capacities, crack formation and its developing process were measured and studied. The results demonstrated that the application of SFRC would not only increase the initial cracking load, but also restrict the crack propagation in the service lifetime, and then the crack widths can be controlled appropriately. The use of steel fibers can improve the performance of the composite beams in the service load stage and the effects on the ultimate load stage of the composite beams are dependent on the shear connectors.